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Simple mods for a Tele Deluxe?

I bought a Black Dove Tele Deluxe about 6 years ago, and through all the comings and goings of guitars I've bought and sold since, it's the one that's stayed with me the longest. I'm bumping it up to Main Guitar, and with this prestigious promotion I figured I'd treat it to some upgrades. I've ordered a new white pearloid pickguard, Bare Knuckle Nantuckets, and a cup jack input with screws so it won't come loose anymore. I'm also struggling my way through finding new control knobs that aren't insanely expensive.

What other simple mods do people recommend? I'd quite like to put better tuners on it but I'm opposed to anything that involves me drilling new holes, as my hand-eye coordination is appalling and there's too much scope for irreparable damage. (I may make the exception for a kill switch though!) Is a nut easy to change? Should I change the metal plate the saddles sit on or just the saddles? Are those Vibramate Bigsbys worth the hassle? Basically I'm fine with soldering, but not so much drilling.

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I bought a Black Dove Tele Deluxe about 6 years ago, and through all the comings and goings of guitars I've bought and sold since, it's the one that's stayed with me the longest. I'm bumping it up to Main Guitar, and with this prestigious promotion I figured I'd treat it to some upgrades. I've ordered a new white pearloid pickguard, Bare Knuckle Nantuckets, and a cup jack input with screws so it won't come loose anymore. I'm also struggling my way through finding new control knobs that aren't insanely expensive.

What other simple mods do people recommend? I'd quite like to put better tuners on it but I'm opposed to anything that involves me drilling new holes, as my hand-eye coordination is appalling and there's too much scope for irreparable damage. (I may make the exception for a kill switch though!) Is a nut easy to change? Should I change the metal plate the saddles sit on or just the saddles? Are those Vibramate Bigsbys worth the hassle? Basically I'm fine with soldering, but not so much drilling.

To me, if you like the guitar, then just refine it - otherwise there is the danger of throwing out the baby with the bath water.

So, talking about parts, then quality pots switch and jack whilst you are replacing the pickups. Depending on your setup/ how you get on with the bridge, shorter saddle height screws if the current ones feel uncomfortable.

However, probably the best thing a guitar can receive is a good setup.

So, talking about parts, then quality pots switch and jack whilst you are replacing the pickups. Depending on your setup/ how you get on with the bridge, shorter saddle height screws if the current ones feel uncomfortable.

I think changing the tuners is going to make a world of difference, I just have no idea which ones to go for.

I think changing the tuners is going to make a world of difference, I just have no idea which ones to go for.

There are no other tuners which fit - the mounting screw locations are unique to those. There's nothing wrong with them anyway - if it's not staying in tune, the problem is something else...

As already said, if the wiring is like the standard Tele Deluxe, the wire run from the jack to the switch is totally unshielded, and replacing it with a shielded cable will make a big difference to the noise. The jack (not just the cup) is also worth upgrading to a proper US Switchcraft, but apart from that there's not a lot which needs doing to them.

"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

I was going to say,that bridge it’s a peculiar combination in that it’s three screw like a hard tail Strat bridge but 3 saddle like a Tele bridge, and with cutouts to allow a Bigsby.But now I need to find out who else makes them !

Just coming back to this to say that I finally got around to putting in the Nantucket pick ups, and MY GOD they sound good. So crisp, and now I can put the old Black Dove P90s into my Bullet Mustang! Guitars are pretty cool, aren't they?